Research summary
We know a lot about the universe, but it is not yet clear how galaxies form and evolve. Understanding this is one of the biggest challenges in astronomy. Dr. Kristine Spekkens, Canada Research Chair in Gas-Rich Galaxy Structure, is trying to understand how gas-rich nearby galaxies take shape and change over time within the larger cosmological model of the universe’s history.
Spekkens and her research team are using data from the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) and the upcoming Canadian Hydrogen Observatory and Radio-transient Detector (CHORD) to explain how gas, stars and dark matter interact in galaxy disks. They are also studying how galaxies acquire and lose gas, and how the smallest galaxies form and evolve. Their work will establish the foundation for a Canadian Square Kilometre Array Science program to map atomic gas in galaxies across cosmic time.